Gen 2 frequently falls offline after firmware update

Can you create a guest network and see if that helps the issue? I’d like to see if a dedicated ssid (not the same ssid on two APs) helps with the issue. If that doesn’t help I can work with you on next steps. Have a great week.

:cheers:

Guest network created and Rachio controller connected to it. Will let you know if it helps.

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Great thanks @bjones. If not Ill work with you on next steps.

:cheers:

@srudenko Also noticed you have firewall blocking port 53 for the controller which it uses.

@franz Not sure what that means because I don’t have any 3rd party firewalls or parental controls that I know of. I just have whatever the official Asus router firmware contains. So what am I supposed to do? Every other piece of equipment on my network is working fine…

Also if there was a firewall issue blocking the controller then how does it work 99% of the time now and 100% of the time up until a month ago?

I think I am still on the old firmware (iro2-firmware-5-82) but I am experiencing the controller offline issue.
Just brought it backup online by power cycling the controller.

Despite the unit has been offline for 24 hours, it did apply the rain skip this morning. That is good.

My 2nd gen controller has been running trouble-free for more than a year. The controller is on a 2.4Ghz wireless network.

I will try running the network trouble shooting app this weekend; is there something I should try in the mean time?

Thanks, yuki

@yukitz75 Looks like the controller might have disconnected from the internet. I had the team set new firmware on it when it comes online (did it crash again, meaning one blue LED?).

If you can do the network test it will help us gather more data.

:cheers:

Thanks.

Ok I wouldn’t worry about it then if there is no known firewall.

:cheers:

@franz I just noticed the controller was offline again. It was indeed crashed (one solid bar)
Power cycled it again, it came back online. I did get the new firmware (iro2-firmware-5-109)

I will do the network test Sat.

Thanks, yuki

Diagnostic key: WDFRNFJ7

Your setup looks a little complex, maybe a double NAT? And looks like a port is blocked?

Hi @franz - I was looking to see what UDP port 53 was and it says it’s for DNS. That happened to be the only customization I had in my router - was using OpenDNS servers. I changed it back to default and reran the WiFi diagnostic - could you check the result again to see if port 53 is still blocked? FBQ4ZU22

My router does have a firewall which is turned on by default. I’m sure that is the case with every home router on the market today. There are also parental controls setting but that was off.

@franz There was just one power cycle event reported in the history since the firmware update yesterday. This was not a manual power cycle or power outage. The controller did come back online automatically.

Despite some issues, the controller is following rain skip & saturation skip with the schedules. I am glad the system is robust enough to deal with these transient connectivity issues.

I did do the network scan. Here is the key if you want to take a look: 3GNK4PNG
My network setup is not simple, but very stable. Comcast-provided cable modem is probably the weakest link since it is the oldest piece in the network.

Thanks, yuki

Not blocked anymore :wink:

:cheers:

Thanks @yukitz75. From what I can see the network looks ok although there are a couple routers? If you have any other issues please let me know and I’ll work on next steps with you.

:cheers:

Controller dropped off network again after about 36 hours. Failed with 1 solid led. Restarted controller and it reconnected to guest network. Controller has firmware version iro2-fireware-5-109.

Fortunately we are finally getting rain here in Calif. and wont need the controller for many months…but I would like to get this resolved.

Whats next step?

@franz My controller also just went offline almost right when @bjones replied. What is going on?

My Rachio 2 just started doing this yesterday. Have had it up and running for several months, now, without any connectivity issues. The Wi-Fi signal is strong because the main AP is just on the other side of the wall from the Rachio controller. Yesterday morning I got the notification that Rachio was offline. I went through the steps to reconnect the Wi-Fi. All seemed fine. Now, this morning the same thing, again. It is completely offline and seems to forget the network completely. Have to reconnect it to my Wi-Fi again. I did the Routethis test, the key is X3Y78ZN7.
Again, this has been a rock-steady connection ever since installing my Rachio. No other devices in the home are having any connection issues (have Wink 2 hub, Ring camera, many other devices). Only the Rachio 2 is having this problem and only started yesterday. The Wi-Fi is provided by my Google WiFi (it hasn’t updated lately).

Wow. Haven’t been on here two days and double the replies.

Franz I have again rebooted the controller and this time disconnected my WR2 sensor as you requested. I’ll report back.

@franz Discovered the controller was in the crashed state (one single solid bar) this afternoon. Just did a manual power cycle now to bring it back online. I will keep an eye on the online status this evening.

My home internet connection has been relatively problem free for 7 years. I have:

  • Comcast provided Ubee Docsis 3.0 cable modem
  • Ubiquiti EdgeRouter to run two separate networks in my home
  • Asus router in AP mode for general wifi connection - I use a guest SSID (2.4 Ghz) to connect all IOT devices including Rachio, Nest, Ring & Amazon devices
  • a Netgear wifi extender has a different SSID
  • 2nd Asus router is on a separate network - only my work related desktops & laptops are on this network with different SSIDs

I also have a weather station to upload weather data to CWOP, PWS & wunderground. I am not seeing any data gap in the station history though the connection maybe lost for a short time between the updates.

I had no connectivity issues with my Rachio controller for the last 2 years. Really curious to find out why this issue is happening.

As @bjones mentioned, we just started to get some rain in my area. I hope rain skip will continue to work despite the controller glitches.

Thanks, yuki